Getting the ball rolling.

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

We are considering a permanent move to NZ but need to know where to start. Your advice will be invaluable to us.

Firstly, has anyone used a migration service or has everyone decided to 'go it alone'?

Secondly, we had considered going across on a WHV, seeing how things were and then applying for PR while we were there. Our points could be up to 190 if we managed to secure job offers, so would we be as well just going for PR straight off?

Thirdly, how can you secure a job offer if you have not yet secured a Visa?

Fourthly, I can imagine there is a variation in timescales for getting accepted in but can you give a rough indication of this? Also, once you are accepted in is there a time limitation for you to enter the country i.e. once accepted do we have to make the move within a year?

Thanks in advance, I'll be sure to keep you updated on our progress and hopefully someone can learn from our experiences.

Bill B · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 3:51 am Post subject:

Hi Abesrve & welcome Clapping

I will try to answer your points as best I can, although you will probably receive more accurate info on certain points from others on this forum.

1/ Check some of the other postings. Some folks use them, others go it alone. Points for are that they do the donkey work and should have the expertise. Points against, they are perceived to be expensive. It's all down to choice really.

2/ WHV's are only available to those under thirty years of age I believe. I would suggest going to NZ for a holiday and trying to secure work whilst there. You would then be able to claim the extra points if you worked there for at least a year (2 years I think). But you would be able to apply for PR without having to lodge an EOI if you completed you 2 year NZ work experience.

3/ This is the old chicken & egg situation which causes much confusion. If when in NZ you manage to get interiews, a lot of the time it is down to how you sell yourself. If you come accross as showing that you really do wish to settle in NZ (how you manage that I'm not sure!), then the prospective employer may well go ahead with hiring you. They do have to follow certain government guidelines to prove that the position has been offered to resident NZ'ers and that none are suitable to accept their job.

4/ The timescale for EOI draws is 12 weeks. (I don't think this has changed, but if it has, you're sure to be advised). If your application hasn't been drawn from the pool in this time, it is removed and you would have to re-apply. I'm not sure how long you have to accept the offer of PR once it has been granted, I believe it's 3 months to enable you to get up to date medical & police reports, but I think this has been covered in an earlier posting.

What is your job, if you don't mind me asking and where would you hope to settle?

Wish you all the best anyway. fingers crossed

Bill B

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

Bill,

Thanks for the info. I'm in IT but not at any senior level, just helpdesk at the moment. From what I have seen, IT skills are generally in demand across the entire country so this is good. I plan to enter on this basis along with some additional training that I will undertake this year which I intend to tailor towards the most in demand skills required. I'm more than willing to go into any job across in NZ until I get settled and then would like to climb up the ladder. I'm 26 so the age issue shouldn't affect me.

I'd really like to settle in the Bay of Plenty region but just about anywhere on the West Coast of North Island seems good to us. I'm not sure what the IT market is like there which leads me to another question: If you are accepted through your skills and can not find employment can you take another form of work until you find work in your field?

My fiancee has just completed an HR qualification and she would like to work in that field but we've not started investigating this yet. Obviously, Auckland would offer the most opportunities but we don't want to go there as we want to be part of a smaller community.

I will have a good look through the forum and dredge up some of the info I was looking for. Thanks for your help.

Thanks.

MJB · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 9:29 pm Post subject:

Just posted the same remark on another topic, but i believe you have a year to enter the country once you have been issued your permit. I'm also in IT, think the best places for "work"are Auckland and Wellington (too windy), although if you look on NZ IT job websites (seek) then you get the odd job outside of this region. Nelson or north of Auckland are where I'd like to settle currently. Good luck!

Timbo · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 10:52 pm Post subject:

It is worth remembering that you get extra points fo settling in areas other than Auckland etc. So it may be worth checking out regional jobs.

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

Hello,

Thanks for the replies. The more I read, the more complicated it gets in my head. Maybe someone can clear some issues up for me?

I do general IT support for my local council. Nothing complicated and nothing that would fit into the OSL. I am degree educated but my postgraduate work is limited to a PGCert and doesn't count towards anything that I know of. My Uni is on the list of reconized institutions, by the way.

I think this rules me out of the Skilled Migrant route. So, where does this leave me? As far as I can tell I'm going to have to do what a lot of other people seem to be doing: Enter NZ on a WHV and try to find some work which puts in a position to apply for PR. Is this right? If I get over there, settle down, keep a job (regardless of what level, sweeping floors etc) are they likely to let me stay? I'm not sure they'd be too happy about this which is why I'm confused.

Here's my ideal scenario if I can't go the Skilled Migrant Route:

Go across on a WHV for as long as possible and take an IT helpdesk position and keep my nose clean and apply for PR. Does this work?

Worst case scenario: I go across, take a menial job and try applying for PR. What are my chances then? Are they less than the situation above? What is the minimum amount of experience required to make a real difference?

If I go across and do it this way I take it I still need to go through the EOI and wait it out. What happens if my Work permit lapses while waiting. I'd have to return to the UK and wait for my EOI to be passed through? So many questions....

Once I understand the process I'm going to draw a flowchart and make this easy for people to understand (at which point the rules will change and the flowchart will be useless).

Sorry for the rant, confusion is not my friend...

evelynne_r · I Like It Here Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 94

Hi abesrve,

I think coming over on a WHV and looking for work might be your best alternative.

You should be aware though that not just any job will do for the job offer bonus points - it has to be skilled. So flipping burgers at McDonald's won't advance you much on the PR side of things. However, even if you do end up at MaccyDs it will give you local work experience and a local reference for when you find a skilled job. You'll also be in place for interviews.

Once you're over, you cannot work in a permanent job on a WHV - you need to apply for a work permit. This is what I did, and didn't have any problems. because I'm in IT. Make sure your employer gives you a detailed job description with as much IT-speak in it as possible though, particularly if your job title is not IT sounding.

Anyway, work permits last for two years from when you arrive in NZ (without supplying medicals/police certs etc) which should give plenty of time for your PR to come through.

Good luck,

Evelynne

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

Evelynne,

Thanks for the answer. Sounds like that is a suitable route to take. There's quite an element of risk though, could be rejected in the end?

To verify time scales and so on: How long does it take for an application for WHV to clear? Once there, I need to do skilled temp work and line up a perm job, at which time I lodge my EOI (because I have a job offer my points will be high and my application will be at the top of the pile?). Will an employer look at me if I don't have PR already sorted out? How long will these steps take and what points in time do I need to get things going?

Additionally, say I want to change career direction and I wanted to enter a trainee management position unrelated to Computing, which my degree is in, is there a problem?

Sorry to ask so much questions but with the amount of conflicting and old information out there I think it is better to gain the knowledge from people who have just been, or are currently going, through the process.

Thanks again folks.

evelynne_r · I Like It Here Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 94

Hiya,

With regard to the WHV - I got mine arranged over a lunchtime at NZ House in London.

I didn't have too many problems getting employers to consider me for permanent work - just make sure you can talk confidently about the PR system and how the job offer will make your application much more attractive to Immigration.

I would start looking for a permanent job as soon as you hit NZ. It took me from February until September to find one. Make sure you bring all the documentation you can think of over with you; degree certificates, birth certificates, letters from employers etc. Once you have the permanent job you can move on the PR asap.

Good luck,

Evelynne

Annierobrigado · Testing The Water Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 5

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41

evelynne_r · I Like It Here Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 94

Hiya,

I went through agencies who were pretty clued up on the whole immigration thing. They did want reassurance though that I'd done my sums and that I could meet the immigration requirements with a permanent job.

My area of expertise is web development, and although I looked in that area, my current job is working for a mailhouse in the data services dept. I did set my sights lower in order to get a foot in the door. Although IT is considered to be in demand, it's not really in all areas.

One thing to be prepared for is a huge drop in salary. My salary has halved from what I was on in London - however, due to the difference in cost of living, I have much the same disposable income.

Yep, it did take a while to find a job; at times I was close to giving up and returning to Europe, but it worked out in the end. The biggest hurdle I found really was competing with local knowledge and contacts. Several times I made it to the final couple of candidates to find the job had been offered to someone with local knowledge, which is fair enough.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Evelynne

evelynne_r · I Like It Here Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 94

Hello to all, this is annie. am also interested in migrating to NZ. Please, what is WHV? I am hesitant to go to NZ on holiday and then while there look for work because NZ immigration might be looking for me and deport me! This is the plight of migrants in the US and I don't want to go through that.[/quote]

Hello Annie,

A WHV is a Working Holiday Visa, a work visa for which young people between 18 and 25/30 who are citizens can apply. It allows you to come to NZ and work for up to a year.

Evelynne

Moorf · Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2004 8:40 pm Post subject:

Hi Annie and all... just an observation but I do note that, whilst looking for IT jobs, they do seem to be looking more for the "creative" side of IT - i.e. software development and also project management roles.

I have also been told that junior IT positions (i.e helpdesk / support) are being met by newly qualified NZ'ers so it is best to look for more senior / experienced and/or creative roles - these are the ones being offered to overseas candidates.....

Just another penny worth from lil' old me....

Yes

Moorf

abesrve · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 41